Snowboard

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a multi-piece snowboard having a divided sliding surface, the multi-piece snowboard being characterized by a main body, which comprises two sliding parts and an exchangeable longitudinal strut provided between the sliding parts, and being characterized in that lateral gaps are provided between the sliding parts and the longitudinal strut and the transition points of the longitudinal strut to the front and rear areas of the main body are formed with radii.

This invention relates to a snowboard having a divided sliding surface and an exchangeable web, as defined in claim 1.

Various snowboard solutions have been developed in recent years, the solutions relating to the shape as well as to the technical features of snowboards. The various designs relate both to typical one-piece snowboards and to divided ones.

The divided snowboard design in particular calls for improvements in the supporting structures and flexibility of the snowboard. It is commonly known that the flexibility of a snowboard has a considerable influence on the ride quality, dependent on the specifics of the run. Furthermore, the turning/cornering properties of a snowboard can be predetermined through a “parabolic” (waist in the middle) design.

The flexibility of a snowboard in the vertical direction, i.e. its flexural strength which a snowboard exhibits during an upward or downward movement of its longitudinal ends has a considerable influence on the quality of the ride. When the snowboard is disposed flat on the snow and glides lengthwise, the flexibility of the snowboard should be such that both its ends bend upward relative to its middle region when the board is in a trough and they exhibit a certain counter flex when the snowboarder negotiates a bulge or elevation.

Another important factor governing the quality of snowboarding is the torsional rigidity, or “twistability” of the snowboard in the longitudinal range. This quality influences i.a. the smoothness of the ride and the weight load shift during turns (how quickly the rider can shift from one edge to the other edge of the snowboard).

To summarize, the quality of snowboarding during turns is, on the one hand, influenced by the above-described torsional rigidity or “twistability”, but also through the parabolic shape of the snowboard—the middle region of the board has a significantly smaller width than the ends—and on the other hand, by the flexibility of the “inside” edges of the snowboard. During turns, the snowboard is edged, or canted, i.e. tilted sideways so that practically only the inside-the-curve longitudinal edge of the board is in contact with snow, while the outer edge is more or less detached from snow.

DE 201 13 739 U1 describes a snowboard with a one-piece body, wherein the body has a slit extending essentially along the longitudinal center axis of the body from the back end to at least the middle region of the body. This has the effect of creating two blades partly separated from each other and interconnected through one-piece front region of the snowboard body. This slit partly divides the sliding surface of the snowboard into two gliding surfaces separated from each other which can have a positive effect on the gliding resistance. However, the typical snowboard shape is thus modified as the parabolic curvature of the middle region of the snowboard is markedly reduced which affects negatively the turning ability.

DE 198 20 619 describes a snowboard with a divided sliding surface, which is intended to improve pressure distribution characteristic of the snowboard and thus to enable a responsive and controlled snowboard ride. The problem with this solution is in that the divided sliding faces must be interconnected for operation in a manner which does not impede the desired advantages. This goal is supposedly achieved by the provision of a spring and damping spacer element which is fixed between the standing plate and the sliding surface on both sliding parts. This type of connection is quite demanding from the technical and economic standpoint and requires another type of boot binding, different than the standard bindings and having a complicated structure.

A Utility Model application DE 203 06 244.2, also published as EP 1615706, describes a snowboard with divided gliding members and an elongated web, which is integral with the snowboard and elevated relative to the gliding members. The snowboard has a unitary body and the design does not allow for a variety of snowboard shapes nor for a combination of various materials of the snowboard and the web.

The object of the present invention is to provide a snowboard with a divided gliding surface, the snowboard offering improved ride quality both in straight run and on curves and a structural and manufacturing flexibility, including the shape.

This object is accomplished by the invention as defined in claim 1. Specific embodiments and advantageous features are defined in the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the premise that the practice-tested properties of conventional snowboards i.e. their overall form and manufacturing processes should be retained as far as possible, but the performance in use should be markedly improved compared to known solutions.

According to the invention, there is provided a snowboard having a basic body which is identical as in conventional snowboards. The body has a slot (a free area) approximately 8 to 10 cm wide and 70 to 80 cm long. The snowboard comprises a longitudinal web which is connected to the body such that in operation, the web does not come in contact with the ground i.e. the slope. This means that the longitudinal web is disposed at a predetermined distance from the body.

The above-described measures can, understandably, vary according to the snowboard dimensions and the desired ride quality. The web, like a bridge over a gully, extends over the slot and connects to the front and rear part of the snowboard.

It is possible, preferably using threaded connectors (“inserts”), to provide the board with webs of various shapes and properties. As usual, the binding mount is disposed upon the web in the middle of the snowboard. This results in an elevation of the snowboarder's feet over the snow surface by about 2-5 cm, the elevation being established by corresponding spacing elements. The provision of an exchangeable web (stringer) not only allows for a multitude of designer-tailored possibilities, fulfilling individual user tastes. For instance, the webs can be made of different, lighter materials than the rest of the board. In this manner, the need for a lighter structure can be taken into account. In a way, the web constitutes the “heart” of the snowboard. It is possible to employ webs made of various materials with different properties/hardness according to the user's preference. Thus, a proper web selection has a positive impact on the entire board.

In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a snowboard which comprises a main body and an exchangeable web. The board has longitudinally extending lateral sliding parts which define the sliding surfaces of the snowboard, and in the middle, a standing surface formed by an elevated longitudinal web.

In a further aspect of the invention, the sliding parts of the board and the longitudinal web are designed such that the web extends over threaded holes (inserts) in the front portion or the rear portion of the board and is fastened thereto. Thus, a multi-part (at least two parts) snowboard with divided gliding surfaces is provided.

It is important in particular that the snowboard of the invention emphasizes or incorporates the advantages of a one-piece snowboard. In this context, the widths of the snowboard of the invention in the front and rear region correspond to those of a conventional snowboard. Within the scope of invention, the snowboard has a waistline in the middle region, the waistline being formed through the longitudinal arcuate shape of each sliding part.

While the undersides of the sliding parts represent the sliding surfaces of the snowboard, the longitudinal web defines a standing surface for a snowboarder. The standing surface has suitable means, for example openings (inserts), for attachment of commercially available bindings thereto. The longitudinal web is disposed at a distance, preferably 2 to 5 cm, from both lateral sliding parts with sliding surfaces which extend into full-width front and rear sliding regions of the snowboard.

The provision of a snowboard with an exchangeable, elevated longitudinal web (stringer) brings about the following important advantages.

The transfer of force from the points of feet and heels of the user to the sliding surfaces via the spacers is by far more precise than in a conventional snowboard. In this way, the board of the invention enables better carving and lively turning. The elevation of the standing surface enables easier ride and, thus, owing to the better leverage, improves the ride comfort.

Further, the snowboard of the invention exhibits enhanced flexibility due to the specific structural features and the use of diverse materials, in part due to the use of different materials for the web than for the rest of the snowboard. The modification and improvement of torsional rigidity of the snowboard due to the provision of the exchangeable web (with varied materials, structure and properties) also has a positive influence on the quality of the snowboard ride. The product (snowboard) can now satisfy the customer likings to a great degree. The structure of the snowboard of the invention serves to reduce gliding resistance of the snowboard which is achieved, as explained above, through the provision of divided sliding surfaces and the exchangeable web built as a separate element.

The elevated arrangement of the longitudinal web not only gives rise to an improved flexibility of the snowboard, but also serves to improve the operation (ride), especially when negotiating curves. The vertical distance between the web and both lateral gliding parts or the distance between the binding and the gliding parts can be regulated by various means. For example, it is possible to adjust the elevation by way of spacers fastened on the upper surfaces of the sliding parts in the region of the respective boot binding. The thickness of the spacers determines the vertical difference, or elevation, between the sliding parts and the web.

In an alternative embodiment of binding mounting on the web, the spacers can be mounted on the sliding surfaces in a separable, movable or adjustable manner or can be associated with the boot bindings. Another possibility for bridging the elevation between the web and the sliding surfaces is to integrate the spacers with the web or on the web. The possibilities are almost endless.

It is strongly recommended in any case, for the optimum force transfer from the foot, particularly the tip of the foot and the heel, onto the gliding surfaces, that the spacers be firmly attached to the board and the bindings, particularly at the tip and heel of the user's foot, when the snowboard is in use (e.g. on the slope). This will assure that when a pressure is exerted by the tip of the foot onto the respective sliding surface, a simultaneous pulling force is applied by the foot onto the other sliding surface and vice versa. This has the effect of enhancing the so-called “grip” of the snowboard on the slope.

As mentioned hereinabove, the spacers can be disposed in various ways on the bindings, on their contact surfaces in the area of the heel and the toes, or associated with the web or integrated therewith. In every case, the height of the spacer corresponds to the elevation (height difference) between the longitudinal web and the sliding parts of the snowboard.

The present invention is intended to meet uncompromisingly the requirements or wishes of snowboard riders who may use various foot positions, e.g. for a regular or so-called “goofy” ride. Also, the snowboard of the invention allows for an improved stability and an enhanced pressure on the sliding surfaces.

According to the invention, the variability of foot positioning on the snowboard is also accomplished by the provision of guide rails/inserts on or in the web along the length of the snowboard. These serve to receive boot bindings which are then adjustable along the guide rails in the longitudinal direction of the snowboard.

The multi-piece design of the snowboard of the invention offers also advantages regarding the manufacturing of the product. The snowboard with its sliding surfaces can be made of known materials like metals, plastics, polymeric fibers, natural fibers of various types, Kevlar, aramid fibers, other composite materials, or any other suitable known or newly developed materials.

The web, as an exchangeable element of the snowboard, can be manufactured in a separate process, also from known materials but in a different material setup than the respective board. This can give rise to already mentioned advantages regarding the ride quality.

Should the user desire a different snowboard with different qualities than the board already acquired (e.g. softer, harder, turn-friendly, more aggressive), it may not be necessary to purchase another snowboard, and instead a new web can be purchased which will offer the desired parameters to the snowboard. Thus, partial recycling comes into play. The materials can be selected according to technical as well as economic considerations.

In summary, the invention provides a snowboard which offers a reduced resistance between the gliding surfaces and the snow, an improved flexibility, control over the torsional rigidity and enhanced smoothness of the ride.

The snowboard of the invention combines properties of several snowboard types, namely racing boards, all-round boards, but also boards for deep snow (with a suitable width) or a snowboard for so-called “fun park” (with a proper selection of structure and materials for the web and the body of the snowboard).

The invention will be further explained by way of examples in conjunction with the drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a side view of the snowboard,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the snowboard of FIG. 1 with a separate longitudinal web (stringer),

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a snowboard without a web, another embodiment of the web and the snowboard with the web associated therewith,

FIG. 4 shows the snowboard with ski boots mounted thereto, and

FIG. 5 is a detailed partial view of FIG. 4.

As is clearly seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the entire snowboard 1, the snowboard is a multi-piece assembly. It has two sliding parts 2, 3 which are disposed on the sides along the length of the snowboard 1. The sliding parts 2, 3 are separated by a predetermined distance. The snowboard further has an exchangeable longitudinal web 4 which, when fastened through connecting means 13 to the snowboard 1, extends from the front region 5 of the snowboard 1 to the rear region 6 thereof and is formed so that a vertical spacing of up to 5 cm is created between the web and the upper surfaces of the sliding parts 2, 3. The sliding parts 2, 3 have a concave curvature on their outside edges, the curvature forming a waistline (parabolic shape) 9 of the snowboard 1. The upper surface of the exchangeable longitudinal web 4 serves as a standing surface 12 (FIG. 4) for the snowboarder. Threaded holes (inserts) 7 are provided in the region where boot bindings are to be mounted, and the bindings are braced to the holes 7. Near the holes 7, in the transverse direction of the snowboard 1, are disposed spacers 8. The spacers can be mounted on the upper surfaces of the sliding parts 2, 3 as shown in FIG. 2 as height adjustment elements. Alternatively, they can be associated with the bindings, or, as seen in FIG. 3, they can be combined with the exchangeable web 4.1 or integrated therewith.

In this embodiment, the toes and heels of the snowboarder rest on the spacers 8 and are supported thereby. This arrangement ensures that foot movements of the rider are transferred directly onto the sliding parts of the snowboard 1 and unintentional tilting movements are avoided. 

1. (canceled)
 2. The snowboard according to claim 6, wherein the longitudinal web is structured as a standing surface for the snowboard user and the gaps between the sliding parts and the longitudinal web have a vertical size of up to 5 cm.
 3. The snowboard according to claim 6, wherein the sliding parts have each a waistline in the longitudinal direction, and spacers are either affixed to the sliding parts, or adjustably and releasable mounted on the sliding parts, or are combined with the bindings.
 4. The snowboard according to claim 6, wherein the releasable connection of the spacers to the sliding parts is accomplished by means of inserts or by means of guide rails.
 5. The snowboard according to claim 6, wherein the web can be connected exchangeably with the main body by means of removable connections such as inserts.
 6. A snowboard with a divided sliding surface, the snowboard comprising: a main body having a free area in the middle thereof, the free area being limited by two sliding surfaces spaced from each other, a longitudinal web which is disposed between the sliding surfaces, which overlaps the free area and to which are mounted boot bindings which are adapted to receive toes and heels of a user's feet, wherein lateral gaps are provided between the sliding parts and the longitudinal web and the transition sites of the web for connecting to the front and rear areas of the main body are formed with radii, wherein the longitudinal web is mounted exchangeably between the sliding parts, and spacers are provided to support the toes and heels of a snowboard user on the longitudinal web in transverse direction of the snowboard, and the spacers are releasably connected to the sliding parts.
 7. The snowboard according to claim 2, wherein the sliding parts have each a waistline in the longitudinal direction and spacers are either affixed to the sliding parts, or adjustably and releasably mounted on the sliding parts, or are combined with the bindings.
 8. The snowboard according to claim 2, wherein the releasable connection of the spacers to the sliding parts is accomplished by means of inserts, or by means of guide rails.
 9. The snowboard according to claim 3, wherein the releasable connection of the spacers to the sliding parts is accomplished by means of inserts, or by means of guide rails.
 10. The snowboard according to claim 2, wherein the web can be connected exchangeably with the main body by way of removable connections such as inserts.
 11. The snowboard according to claim 3, wherein the web can be connected exchangeably with the main body by way of removable connections such as inserts.
 12. The snowboard according to claim 4, wherein the web can be connected exchangeably with the main body by way of removable connections such as inserts. 